Greek Gov’t plans to give state land to 1,500 refugees so they can work as farmers

The Greek government plans to turn refugees from war zones into farmers. The aim is to integrate them into the Greek society. For this purpose the Migration ministry prepares an extensive program of skills and job training for refugees.

The future farmers will be trained in basic communication [Greek language, I suppose], professional skills and job training especially in the agricultural sector.

According to Proto Thema, Agricultural Minister, Vaggelis Apostolou, is considering th eprospect of land concession initially to 1,000 – 1,500 refugees. Even if the ministry has not decided yet how the program will evolve, the focus is on refugees mainly from war zones. “Working as farmers will help them integrate into the society “so that they will not pose a social risk and will not be diverted into illegal or delinquent actions,” PrTh notes.

Greek officials are considering to give state land to refugees to cultivate in the regions of Macedonia or Viotia.

Currently the plan is been discussed between officials from the ministries of Migration, Rural Development and Education.

Furthermore, the Migration Ministry is in contact with trade unions and even with industrialists with the aim to organize employment programs for refugees.

At the same time, the detailed registration of skills and professional experience of thousands of refugees is to be launched in autumn with the aim that they will enter the labor market especially in so-called “low intensity” jobs such as rural jobs. Authorities want to avoid the risk that refugees get involved in black labor.

Meanwhile, the first groups of refugees have received European Qualifications Passports after successfully passing an evaluation process to verify their higher education credentials. Fifty-four refugees, mostly from Syria, living in refugee camps in Attica, Greece have received the documentation through the first two rounds of the Council of Europe’s “Recognition of Qualifications held by Refugees” pilot program.

The document gives information on their education qualifications and presents information on the refugee’s work experience and language proficiency.

The project aims to provide refugees with an authorized assessment of their credentials that they can carry from one country to another,

@Chris. Wars continue in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen — to mention just three regional countries. There is no way that refugees are going to return. This was clear from the outset, which is why it was important that refugees be relocated from Greece to other EU countries.

As for the policies to help refugees, I agree that it seems very unfair to Greeks. But the alternative, of doing nothing for the refugees to find work, is also terrible. What is crucial in this regard is that Greeks are helped as well. Current EU policies discriminate against Greeks and unrecognised refugees living in Greece: this is the bureaucratic nonsense that prevails across the EU. We need EU policies that focus on those who deserve help, regardless of their ethnic group, citizenship, age, gender etc. The EU has a long way to go in this regard, as does the Greek state. But the solution is not to leave refugees as long-term outsiders within Greece: this would be a very dangerous situation for Greece and the Greek people.